06 LC
35 0264S
The
Senate Natural Resources and the Environment Committee offered the following
substitute to HB 1424:
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Part 1 of Article 1 of Chapter 3 of Title 27 of the Official Code of
Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relating to hunting, so as to
change certain provisions relating to hunting of deer with dogs, seasons, and
permits required; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Part
1 of Article 1 of Chapter 3 of Title 27 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to general provisions relating to hunting, is amended by
striking in its entirety Code Section 27-3-17, relating to the hunting of deer
with dogs, seasons, and permits required, and inserting in lieu thereof the
following:
"27-3-17.
(a)
It shall be unlawful to hunt deer with dogs except during such special open
seasons for the hunting of deer with dogs as may be designated by the board on a
state-wide, regional, or local basis.
(b)
In accordance with subsection (a) of this Code section, the board is authorized
to promulgate rules and regulations establishing an open season for the hunting
of deer with dogs as may be appropriate based on sound wildlife management
principles.
(c)
It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt deer with dogs on any tract of real
property unless a permit for hunting deer with dogs has been issued by the
department for such tract to the owner or owners of such tract or the lessee of
deer hunting rights for such tract. A permit for hunting deer with dogs shall
not be issued to a lessee of deer hunting rights for any tract of real property
that is less than 1,000 contiguous acres or to the property owner or owners for
any tract of real property that is less than 250 contiguous acres. Any
application for a permit for hunting deer with dogs shall be on such form as
prescribed by the
department;
shall be accompanied by the required application
fee; and shall include a written
description of the tract boundaries and a map showing key features such as
public roads or streams on or bordering the tract and occupied dwellings on
adjacent properties. The application must be signed by all persons owning any
portion of the tract of real property or an authorized agent thereof.
The
application fee for such permit shall be $100.00 for an annual permit or $25.00
for a two-day permit.
(d)
The owner of any dog that is used for hunting deer must cause such dog to be
identified at all times during the hunt with the permit number for the tract
being hunted.
(e)
Any person operating a motor vehicle used in conducting a deer hunt with dogs
shall during such hunt clearly display in
the lower
corner of the
driveŕs
side of the front or rear windshield of
such motor vehicle a decal or card showing the tract permit number in numerals
not less than two inches high.
(f)
The department shall thoroughly investigate for validity any complaints from
adjacent property owners regarding hunting deer with dogs in violation of this
title or rules and regulations issued pursuant to this title. The commissioner
may take action against a permit as provided by Code Section 27-2-25 for
violations of the provisions of this title or rules and regulations issued
pursuant to this title occurring on the tract of real property for which the
permit was issued.
(g)
Any person 16 years of age or older, including without limitation any person
hunting on his or her own property, who hunts deer with dogs must obtain and
possess a deer-dog hunting license in addition to all other required hunting
licenses and permits. The license fee for such deer-dog license shall be $5.00
for a one-year period, except that there shall be no charge for any holder of a
valid honorary hunting license,
sportsmańs
license, or lifetime
sportsmańs
license issued pursuant to this title.
(h)
In addition to the provisions of subsection (f) of this Code section, the
commissioner may revoke a deer-dog license for any hunter who, within a single
hunting season, commits two or more violations of dogs off of permitted
property."
SECTION
2.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.